The bill, S.B. No. 880, amends the Election Code to include provisions regarding political advertising distributed through mass text message campaigns. It expands the definition of "political advertising" to encompass communications sent as part of a mass text message campaign, which is defined as an organized effort to send text messages to multiple recipients in support of or opposition to a candidate, political party, public officer, or measure, involving expenditures beyond basic hardware and software costs.

Additionally, the bill increases the civil penalty for violations related to political advertising from a maximum of $4,000 to $10,000. It specifies that each individual text message sent in violation of the regulations constitutes a separate violation, thereby potentially increasing the total penalties for offenders. The changes will take effect on September 1, 2025, and will only apply to political advertising distributed or broadcast after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 251.001, Election Code 255.001 (Election Code 255, Election Code 251)